Combination refrigerator and air conditioner



July 22, 1941. P. MANiscALco COMBINATION REFRIGERATO AND AIR CONDITIONER4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 1, 1940 fnz/fiaar y 1941- 1 P. MANISCALCO' I2,250,386

COMBINATION REFRIGERATOR AND AIR CONDITIONER Filed Nov. 1, 1940 4Sheets-Sheet 2 July 22, 1941.

P. MANISCALCO 2,250,386 C MBINATION REFRIGERATOR AND AIR CONDITIONERFiled Nov. 1, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 22, 1941. P. MANISCALCOCOMBINATION REFRIGERATOR AND AIRv CONDITIONER Filed Nov. 1, 1940 4Shee'ts-Sheet 4 37 4 K26 J/avaiwa/ca Patented July 22, 1941 COMBINATIONREFRIGERATOR AND AIR CONDITIONER Pietro Maniscalco, Chicago, 111.

Application November 1, 1940, Serial No. 363,889

12 Claims.

invention relates to improvements in a combination refrigerator and airconditioner.

One of the essential objects of this invention is to provide acombination device of this type which is particularly adapted for use inthe home, and also for the oflice and the like, and comprises a domestictype of refrigerator having an air conditioner combined therewith whichcan be operated selectively in conjunction with the refrigerator and canalso be retained idle while the refrigerator is in use; and wherein theconditioner can be utilized furthermore for hydratingand cooling theair, or for either alone.

Another object of this invention is to equip the air conditioning meansof this device with an improved air cooling mechanism which is arrangedto provide an excess of stored cooling medium, thereby adapting theconditioner to be especially valuable during the warmer periods of theday.

- A further object of this invention is to provide the air conditionerwith improved air cooling means, which preferably includes a liquidcontainer with elements projecting therefrom, for more evenly andemciently distributing the cooling effect into the air which is flowingthru the conditioner.

Another object of'this invention is to provide such a combination devicewhich comprises improved mechanism for carrying the heat generated bythe compressor-condenser unit away from the room.

These and various other objects and advantages are attained with thisinvention, as will become apparent from the following description, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings wherein the invention isdisclosed in its preferred form, it being apparent that various otherarrangements and forms of construction may be adopted in carrying outthe objects and purposes of this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is afront elevational view illustrating Fig. 5 is a horizontalsectional view, taken on 1 line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken on line 5-6 of Fig.1.

Fig. 7 is a part side elevation and part vertical sectional view, takenon line |'l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail view, partly in section, illustrating auxiliary meansfor exhausting the heat generated by the compressor-condenser unit, usedwhere the device is stationed away' from the window.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a suitable operating unit, inconnection with the cooling means in the refrigerator and in the airconditioner of this invention.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating suitable electric meansincluding the motors and switch-equipped conductors, adapted for usewith this invention.

The drawings illustrate this invention in its preferred form ofconstruction, being substantially in the form and type of a domesticrefrigerator, especially adapted for use in the home, and also in theoflice and the club and the like. It comprises a cabinet II whichcontains a refrigerating part or refrigerator I2 and an air conditioningpart or conditioner I3; and preferably also includes the machinerychamber I6, which contains the compressor-condenser means oroperatingunit I5 therein, and is preferably placed at the upper part ofthe cabinet, above the refrigerator I2, as indicated in the drawings.

The cabinet II contains insulated walls, and the refrigerating part l2therein comprises the upstanding walls I6 with the top wall I1 and thebottom I8, and the door I 9 hinged thereon, all provided with insulatingmaterial; thereby providing the storage compartment for food, etc.,which is equipped with suitable coils 22 forming a cooling unitcontaining a freezing chamber 23 therein, in the usual manner.

Heat exhausting means 25 is herein provided on the machinery chamber II,for carrying away therefrom the heat which is generated by the operatingunit I5 and dischargingthe same out of a window 26'adjacent which thedevice is placed. Said means 25 preferably includes an extension orcasing portion 21 projecting from chamber I4 and being adapted to haveits outlet end placed in the partly opened window 25; and it alsoincludes a shield 28 which is positioned at its side in the window,having an extendible portion. 28 thereon which is adjustable bymanipulating means 28'', thus adapting this means 25 for mounting inwindows of different widths.

The cabinet is furthermore provided with adjustable supporting means toadjust the height thereof; as for example, adjustable legs which includeeach a pair of adjustably connected parts 29 and 29', so that theelevation of the heat a window; and this auxiliary means comprises ahood or funnel member 3| which is readily attachable to the outlet endof said portion 21, and a flexible conduit 32 extends from said hood andhas at its outer end a shield 33 which is an extendible shield similarto said shield 28, adapted to flt in the window in place of said casingportion 21 and shield 28.

The operating unit or compressor-condenser means IS in chamber 4 may beof a standard type; and it is shown herein as comprising a compressor34, a main driving motor 35, a condenser 36, a' tank 31, and the usualrefrigerant conducting conduits connecting the same, which hereininclude a feed conduit 38 extending from the tank 31 and equipped withan expansion valve 39, and also a return conduit 4| connecting therefrigerator coils 22 with the compressor 34 for returning therefrigerant to the latter. Said expansion valve 39 has a power tube orbulb 42 connected thereto by a pipe 43 and mounted on the return conduit4|, as indicated in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

It should be noted that the machinery chamber H as well as the heatexhaust portion 21 thereon are equipped with a partition wall 44 nearthe top, thereby providing an air intake channel 45 therebetweenfonconducting fresh cool air from outside the window 26 to the innerpart of said chamber I4. A fan 46 is positioned in the outer part ofsaid portion 21, being connected to and driven by the motor 35, formoving the heated air generated by the operating unit I5 out of thechamber I4, thru the adjacent window 26 and out of the room, thuseffectively expelling said heat away from the conditioned air in theroom.

The air conditioning part or conditioner 3 comprises upstanding walls41, one of which is common with the wall l6 of the refrigerator andforms a partition wall between said refrigerator and the conditioner,said wall having a top wall 48 and bottom 49, and a hinged door 58thereon, all being provided with insulatin material, and togetherprovide an air conditioning chamber 52 therebetween. This chamber has anair inlet 53 in the bottom 49 and an air outlet54 in the top wall 48,while an air deflector 55 is mounted in said outlet to be removable andadjustable therein, adapted to be readily turned and positioned thereinwith its vanes 56 suitably tilted, so as to deflect the conditioned airin the particular direction and suitably deflected as may be desired.

The air cooling or chilling means provided herein comprises ahollow-walled tubular member or jacket 51 which includes chamber means58 within said walls. Said jacket is mounted in conditioner chamber 52,being spaced from the walls thereof and from the air inlet and outletthereon; and'in this form illustrated it is substantially annular orcylindrical, and the chamber means 58 is likewise annular and closed atthe bottom, having a removable cover 59 airtight thereon. Said chamber58 is thus adapted to contain a suitable liquid which does not readilycongeal, such as a salt brine, or Prestone, or some similar antlfreezesolution; and an air channel 68 is hereby provided centrally thru thejacket.

A refrigerating unit or chilling unit 6| is mounted in thermal relationwith said jacket, to cool the liquid contained therein, and in this formillustrated the unit 6| comprises a coil unit which is mounted betweenthe double walls of the jacket, being immersed in the liquid in chamber58; and this unit is operatively connected with the feed conduit 38.

As indicated in Fig. 9, the unit 6| has one end connected thru a conduit62 and a connecting member 63 with the feed conduit 38 and the expansionvalve 39 therein, to be fed the cold refrigerant thereby; and this unithas its other end connected thru a conduit 64 and a connecting member 65with the conduit 66, which conducts the refrigerant to the unit 22 inthe refrigerator l2. A conduit 61 connects said members 63 and 65 andhas a control valve or shut-off valve 68 interposed therein; therebyproviding operative connections between the two coils 22 and 6| andthereof with the operating unit l5.

When it is desired to operate both coil units 22 and 6| together, thecontrol valve 68 is closed, whereupon the refrigerant will.fiow undernormal conditions from tank 31 thru conduit 38 and expansion valve 39,thru member 63, conduit 62, unit 6|, conduit 64, member 65, conduit 66,and thru unit 22 and back thru return conduit 4| to the compressor, andthru condenser 36 and back to tank 31. When it is desired to operate therefrigerator unit 22 alone, the control valve 68 is opened, whereuponthe refrigerant will flow from the tank 31 thru conduit 38 and its valve39 into the connecting member 63, and then, in view of the elevation ofconduit part 62, which extends to the conditioner unit 6|, as shown inFig. 9, the refrigerant will follow the path of least resistance andflow from member 63 thru conduit 61 and the open valve 68 therein, andthru conduit 66 and unit 22 and return conduit 4| back into theoperating unit I5.

With this construction the expanded refrigerant in circulating thru theconditioner coils 6| thus cools the liquid in jacket chamber 58 to anextremely chilling degree, and thereby provides an excess of coolingmedium which forms a holdover of cooling effect, so that thisconditioning device is furthermore particularly serviceable during thewarmer periods of the day and place where the device is in use, and itremains effective even after the operating unit I5 is at rest.

Improved air cooling means is furthermore provided with this inventionfor more uniformly and efficiently distributing the cooling effect fromthe conditioner unit 6| and chilled liquid in jacket 51, and this meanspreferably-comprises a considerable number of slender pointed elementsor prongs; 1| projecting from the jacket; and in the form illustratedherein these include prongs 1| projecting from the inner wall of thejacket well into the channel 60, and also prongs 1| projecting from theouter wall of the jacket towards the walls 41 of the conditioner. Theseprongs can be provided economically by arranging them to extend integralfrom a backing strip 12 as a unit of prongs, as indicated in Fig. 3, sothat a, pair of units can be cut at once from a sheet of metal withoutproducing waste; and many such units of prongs are then secured by theirstrips 12 onto the jacket walls.

An air intake chamber 14 is provided in the cabinet, below theconditioner chamber 52, and it has an air inlet port 15 with a door 16thereon which is slidable for adjusting the size of the open port,suitable filtering means 11 being preferably placed in said port forcleaning the incoming air. A fan 18 and a driving motor 19 therefor aremounted in said chamber 14, to force the air thru inlet 53 into chamber52; and a deflector 80 is mounted between said inlet and'the jacket, sothat part of the air iscaused to flow along the outer side of the jacketand over the prongs thereon, and part will flow thru the channel 69 andover the prongs H which protrude into the same, as indicated by thearrows in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

This device is furthermore constructed and equipped to contain water forhumidifying the air when it is too dry, and for this purpose an overflowpipe 82 projects up above the bottom 49 of the conditioner, and the airinlet means 53 also has a, mouth. portion 83 projecting above saidbottom 49, so that a certain quantity of water can be placed andretained in the lower part of the air conditioning chamber 52. A drainpipe 84 with a valve 85 therein is also provided in said bottom 49; anda suitable pan 85 can be placed in chamber 14, beneath pipes 82 and 84,for draining purposes; while a door 81 in one side of chamber 14provides access to said pan 86 and valve 85 therein.

Control= means is provided herein to enable operation of the two motors35 and 19 together. when it is desired to utilize the air conditionerand the refrigerator together; and whereby either motor can be operatedalone while the other is retained idle. For this purpose, as ina cabinetprovided with an operating unit, an air conditioner comprising aninsulated chamber in said cabinet provided with air inlet and outletmeans, a hollow-walled jacket mounted in said chamber spaced from thechamber walls and from said inlet means and providing an annular liquidchamber between its walls, a chilling unit in thermal relation with saidjacket to chill the liquid therein and being operable by said opermediumavailable for the warmer periods of the' day.

2. In a domestic type of refrigerator including a cabinet having astorage compartment with cooling means therein and having an operatingunit to actuate said cooling means, an air conditioner comprising aninsulated chamber in said cabinet provided with air inlet and outletmeans therein, a doubled-walled jacket in saidchamber providing "aliquid containing space within its walls and providing an air channel-centrally therethrough, refrigerant conducting dicated in Fig. 10, themain motor of the Similarly the motor 19 of fan 18 has a control switch93 interposed in its conductor wires 94 and 94' which are connected withsaid wires 9| and 9|.

A thermostat 95 is preferably also provided which has a tube 96extending therefrom to a thermal element or bulb 91 connected with oneof the cooling units, being shown herein as mounted on the unit 22 inthe refrigerator; while a stem 98 of the thermostat actuates a switch 99which is interposed in the wire 9|, so as to break the circuit thrumotor 35 whenever the temperature of the coils 22 and 6| has descendedbelow the desired degree.

With this improved device, by manipulating switches 90 and 93, the motor19 with its fan 18 can be operated along with the main motor 35, whilethe control valve 68 is closed, thereby utilizing the air conditionerand the refrigerator together; and likewise, the motor 19 may be heldidle while operating the motor 35 alone, while the control valve 58 isopen,\so as to operate the refrigerator but leave the air conditioneridle. Furthermore, if the refrigerator is not required, but the air isdry, then water can be placed in the lower part of chamber 52, and thefan 18 with its motor 19 operated, while the main motor 35 is retainedidle, thereby utilizing the conditioner part for moistening andcirculating the air, without the use of the refrigerator. provides ahighly useful combination device of this type.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described including This means associatedwith said jacket. to chill the liquid therein and being operable by saidoperating unit, means to force the air thru said channel andconditioner, and means operable for operating the refrigerator coolingmeans either alone or in conjunction withsaid chilling means in theconditioner. v

3. In a domestic. type of refrigerator including a cabinet having astorage compartment with cooling means therein and having an operatingunit to actuate said cooling means, an air conditioner comprising aninsulated chamber in said cabinet provided with air inlet and outletmeans, a hollow-walled jacket in the chamber providing an annular liquidcontainertherein and an air channel centrally therethru, a chilling unitimmersed in the liquid in said jacket and operable by said operatingunit, means for forcing air thru the central channel and along theoutward side of the jacket, and control means 'operable for operatingsaidrefrigerator cooling means either alone or in conjunction with saidchilling means in the conditioner.

4. In a domestic type of refrigerator including a cabinet having aninsulated storage compartment with cooling means therein and having amachinery compartment with heat exhaust means thereon and with anoperating unit therein for actuating said cooling means, an airconditioner comprising an insulated chamber in said cabinet providedwith air inlet and outlet means, a hollow-walled jacketin said chamberadapted to contain liquid therein and providing an air channel centrallytherethru, a chilling unit mounted in thermal relation with thejacketand being operable by said operating unit and connected with saidcooling means, means for forcing the air and directing it along theouter side of the jacket and thru the channel centrally thereof, andcontrol means in the connection between said cooling means and saidchilling unit and being operable for operating said cooling means aloneor in conjunction with said chilling unit.

5. The subject matter set forth in claim 4,

wherein the cabinet is provided with adjustable supporting means foradjusting the elevation of the cabinet, and the heat exhaust means is-located in the cabinet so that the outlet of theexhaust means can bepositioned in the window to be suited for windows at various heights.

6- In a device of the class described including a cabinet, an insulatedchamber in said cabinet provided with air inlet and air outlet means, ahollow-walled annular jacket adapted to contain liquid therein, beingspaced from the chamber walls and providing an air channel centrallytherethru and an air passage between the jacket and the chamber walls,chilling coils immersed in the liquid in the jacket, an operating unitfor operating said chilling coils, means for forcing the air thru theinlet means and deflecting means for directing said air through said airpassage along the outside of the jacket and thru said channel in thejacket, and means in the chamber arranged to either retain water in thechamber for humidifying the air or else to draw it from the chamber.

'7. The subject matter set forth in claim 6, wherein the liquidretaining means includes valve controlled means on the chamber fordraining the water therefrom.

8. In a domestic type of refrigerator including a cabinet having aninsulated storage compartment with cooling means therein and having amachinery compartment with heat exhaust means thereon and with anoperating unit therein for actuating said cooling means, an airconditioner ,comprising an insulated chamber in said cabadapting it tocontain water for humidifying the circulating air, and control meansoperable for operating said cooling means alone or in con? junction withsaid, chilling unit.

9. The subject matter set forth in claim 8, wherein the cabinetisprovided with adjustable supporting means for adjusting the elevationthereof, and the heat exhaust means is located on the cabinet so thatthe outlet of the exhaust means can :be positioned in the window to besuited for windows at various heights.

10. The subject matter set forth in claim 8, wherein many long sharpprongs are provided on the jacket walls, to project outwardly therefrominto said chamber and also inwardly into said air channel.

11. In a domestic type of refrigerator including a cabinet having astorage compartment with cooling means therein and provided with anoperating unit, an air conditioner comprising an insulated chamber insaid cabinet provided with air inlet and outlet means, a hollow-walledjacket between the inlet and outlet means in the chamber providing anannular liquid chamber within its walls and also an air channelcentrally of the jacket and an air passage between the acket and theinsulated chamber walls, a chilling unit mounted in said liquid chamberto cool the liquid therein and being operable by said operating unit,slender prongs projecting from the inner wall of said jacket andextending substantially to the axial center of said air channel, andmeans for forcing the air thru the jacket and conditioner and over thesurface of said prongs to enhance the cooling effect on said airthereby.

12. A combination air conditioner and refrlg erator comprising a cabinetcontaining a storage chamber with a cooling unit therein, arefrigerating unit in the cabinet to operate the cooling unit, an airchannel extending thru the cabinet and including air inlet means andoutlet means thereon, annular liquid containing means interposed in saidchannel, adapted to have the air pass therethru, a freezing unitassociated with said containing means and operable by said refrigeratingunit to freeze liquid in said contain ing means and thereby cool the airflowing thru the conditioner, control means for rendering said liquidfreezing unit either active or'idle while said cooling unit is inoperation, whereby the frozen liquid creates a surplus cooling mediumadapted to be utilized at certain periods in conditioning the air.

' PIETRO MANISCALCO.

